LEFT-ARM paceman Alamgir Sheriyar is well on course for his most productive wicket-taking season for Worcestershire -- but he's not taking anything for granted.

"Obviously I'd like to better my previous best, but you don't put too much pressure on yourself at this stage. I'm just happy to keep bowling and then maybe soon I'll set myself some targets,"' said the determined 25-year-old.

Sheriyar, who made his debut for Worcestershire in 1996 after a spell with Leicestershire, has been in splendid form this season and constantly set the pace among the country's leading wicket-takers.

In last month's County Championship game against Hampshire at Southampton he claimed ten wickets in a match for the third time, including a career-best 7-130.

In the following game, against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, he picked up another seven to enable him to overtake last year's haul of 24 first-class wickets in 12 appearances.

His impressive strike rate continued in the next match against Glamorgan at New Road with a further seven scalps to help lift him past the 30 mark.

His current first-class tally stands at an impressive 38 at an average of 23.65 in eight matches.

Thirty-four of his victims are in the Championship at a cost of 24.67 each.

And that has put him firmly on track to beat his previous best seasonal total for Worcestershire of 62 in 1997.

"I'm happy with the way things have been going for me this year. I've got the ball swinging again and it's basically going somewhere near where I want it to go.

"Being leading wicket-taker is always a bonus, but you don't really think of it that way. You just think of bowling and doing what you do day in and day out.

"I didn't really expect to have made such a good start to the season, certainly not the way it began for me.

"I struggled in a few games, particularly in the match against Surrey where I tried shortening my run up. But, as I say, I'm happy with the way things are going. I think I'm bowling well and I just want carry on doing that."

Hard-working Sheriyar admits to being "very pleased" with his performance against Hampshire when he eclipsed his previous best figure of 6-19 against Sussex at Arundel in 1997 - the year he topped 50 wickets in a season for the first time.

And the reason for his fine form? "Over the winter I was in New Zealand and I think I've come back fitter, but over the last month or so I've been trying to get myself a little bit more side on which seems to have helped a little bit.

"At the start of the year it wasn't really swinging and I wasn't really getting a line where I wanted it to go. I was starting it too straight which meant it was going down leg side all the time."

Sheriyar regards last season as a "learning curve" which he feels has stood him in good stead for the current campaign.

"I've come back better for the experience. There were a couple of things that went wrong last year -- mainly injury setbacks.

"But you try and forget those things and hopefully I can just carry on the way I'm going."

Birmingham-born Sheriyar is currently the County's second leading wicket-taker in the National League with nine scalps at a cost of 18.77 each.

He is aware his untiring efforts hold a major key to Worcestershire's fortunes in what he knows is vitally important campaign.

"It a huge season for everyone. I think this is the biggest season ever in county cricket because the Championship is going to be split into two tiers next year.

"It's vitally important for every county to be up there in that top tier. That's what people will be striving for this season," said Sheriyar.

And despite Worcestershire being hit by injuries, illness and World calls, Sheriyar believes that the County can be in the top flight next term.

"We have got a wonderful team spirit and if Championships were won by team spirit then we would be winning it. There's no doubt about that."

Although Sheriyar is Worcestershire's current leading wicket-taker it is all-rounder Stuart Lampitt who is heading the club's first-class bowling averages having snapped up 19 victims at a cost of 15.00 each.

Monday, June 14, 1999.